


And I Said, Follow Me

by UniverseOnHerShoulders



Series: Prompt Fills [29]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-15 16:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15416847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseOnHerShoulders/pseuds/UniverseOnHerShoulders
Summary: The Doctor has someone very important to introduce her new friends to...Sequel toI'll Use You As A Focal Point.





	And I Said, Follow Me

**Author's Note:**

> From allnewtpir's prompt: 
> 
> _13 takes the new companions to a certain diner to meet the missus._
> 
> This is also a direct-ish sequel to [I'll Use You As A Focal Point.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14339847)

Truth be told, the Doctor had dithered over coming back here for weeks. She’d spent hours roaming around the TARDIS late into the night as her new friends slept, wondering whether coming back was a good decision. There had been lists, scrawled onto chalkboards and scraps of paper and then edited and added to and subtracted from until there was little hope of even being able to _read_ them, let alone use them to inform her decision. There had been conversations with herself, staring into the mirror and wondering what her past selves would say if they could advise her on her current dilemma. There was always the possibility of just… casually bumping into one in the past and asking for their thoughts on the matter, but the idea seemed impossibly narcissistic. 

Besides, she knew exactly what her most immediate past self would say – she could feel his desire in her chest as acutely as if it were here own. Both of her hearts ached, her own memories intertwining with his and combining into a sense of longing that seemed to consume her, body and soul, rendering it difficult to think of anything else. There was yearning, and there was a sense of sadness, and then inexplicably… guilt. Clara had _told_ her to go, to travel and to make friends and to learn about the world. Her companion had been most insistent about that, reminding her that she needed someone human – someone truly human, not someone caught between heartbeats – to teach her how to… well, how to _be._ Clara had taught her how to wield an eyeliner pencil and change her newfound piercings and unclasp a bra – she had that down to a fine art now, thank you very much. Being a woman? Not a problem. Her time spent in the diner had been a crash course, but she had found herself wanting… more. Needing more. And Clara had told her softly that she needed time to make friends and remember who the Doctor was, because the Doctor was not the sort of Time Lord – Lady, the Doctor corrected herself robotically – to sit around and grow old with just one person. 

She supposed Clara had been right about that, and about sending her away, and yet still she felt an aching in her chest, and still she felt the pull of the bright neon lights and American-themed murals of the diner. She should stop lying to herself. She knew the attraction lay not in the food, nor the décor, nor the music. She knew that what she truly missed was Clara – warm, kind, gentle Clara, who had loved her holistically from the first moment she had stepped over the threshold, simply by virtue of who she had once been. That kind of love was intoxicating, all-consuming, and overwhelming, and she longed to feel its warmth once again – longed to have Clara in her arms and show her all the things she had learnt and the friends she had made. She was proud of her progress, but not when there was no one to show it to; she had learned many hundreds of years before that she was nothing without an audience. 

And so, in a moment of impulsivity, she’d suggested the idea of a trip to her friends. She’d managed to make it sound casual, and of course they’d all said yes. Graham was enthusiastic about the nostalgic appeal of the place, Ryan was perpetually starving and always up for a good meal, and Yaz… well, Yaz would’ve followed her to the ends of the earth, and in this instance, the Doctor was grateful for that fact. They’d stood around the console with expectant faces as she’d tracked the diner down, and then they’d tramped outside into the dusty Nevada desert and come to a halt as she had, staring up at the familiar façade. 

It hadn’t moved. Or seemingly, it hadn’t moved – to the untrained or human eye. But for her… she could sense the stardust that swirled around the not-building, and taste the artron energy that crackled in the surrounding air. She had a sudden, bizarre feeling that Clara had known she was coming. That Clara had known she was looking for her, and had brought her TARDIS back here for old time’s sake. 

“Right,” she said, trying to sound somewhat braver than she felt. She’d been gone for a long time – what if Clara didn’t want to see her? What if something had happened to her? What if she’d moved on? She tried not to dwell on the idea, clapping her hands together and continuing: “We should ah…” 

Before she could say anything further, a blue-clad streak had raced out of the diner and flung its arms around her chest, clinging to her as though afraid to let go.

“You came back!” the streak – now, up close, manifested to be a small brunette woman with eyes the approximate size of Jupiter – enthused, looking to be on the verge of tears. “I knew you would, but you’ve been _ages,_ and I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me when my TARDIS locked onto yours trying to lock onto mine. And I thought… well, I thought you’d like it here. Nevada. Reminds you of… you know.” 

Clara grinned up at her, before getting up on tiptoes and grabbing the Doctor’s lapels to pull her down for a breathless, over-excited kiss. 

There was a small yelp of surprise from Yaz – muted, but enough for the Time Lady to break away and look over at her friend, who had turned a violent shade of maroon. 

“That’s…” Yaz mumbled, managing to look both mortified and highly interested at the same time. “This is…”

“Oh,” the Doctor blushed furiously by way of response. “This is…” 

“Clara,” her companion said brightly, giving a mock curtsy. “I’m her better half.” 

“One of.” 

“Don’t make me go all green-eyed,” she warned, sticking her tongue out at the Time Lady. “You must be the friends I sent her off to make.” 

“You…” Yaz stammered, her eyes widening in shock. “She… you…” 

“Yaz, stop embarrassing yourself, you hopeless Sapphic,” Ryan said with an exasperated sigh, grinning widely at Clara before stepping forward and shaking her hand in a rather formal manner. “Nice to meet you, I’m Ryan. The Doctor never mentioned she had a cute girlfriend who ran a diner before.” 

“Before you get affronted,” the Doctor interjected, raising a warning finger at Clara, who looked to be on the verge of making a scathing reply. “He’s more interested in the food than you.” 

“I mean…” he shrugged sheepishly. “She has a point. Not that you’re not hot, just like… it’s been a while since breakfast, you know?” 

“I do,” Clara grinned, visibly pleased by the compliment, then turned her attention to Graham. “How about you? Hungry?” 

“A little,” he admitted, rocking back on his heels and looking abruptly bashful. “Mainly here for the music and the nostalgia.” 

“Well, we’ve got a well-stocked jukebox, so you’re welcome to help yourse-” 

Clara broke off as he all but ran inside, his interest piqued, and the Doctor laughed. 

“That _was_ Graham, and this charming lass is Yasmin,” she explained, gesturing to her newest, shyest-seeming friend. “Say hello, Yaz.” 

“H-hi,” the girl managed, and Clara smiled reassuringly at her. 

“I don’t bite,” she promised. “I’m nice, honest.” 

“You’re…” Yaz blinked hard, then said in a rush: “Mainly very pretty.”

“Well,” Clara laughed, looking up at the Doctor fondly, and the Time Lady felt a sudden sense of warm familiarity, almost like… well, like what she imagined coming home to feel like. “Haven’t you picked up quite the little band of charmers? Why don’t you all come inside and we can get lunch on the go?” 

“I like that idea,” the Doctor concurred, meshing her fingers through Clara’s and allowing herself to be led inside, Ryan and Yaz trailing behind them, both whispering under their breath. “How have you been?” 

“Oh, the usual,” Clara shrugged, a pleased little smirk playing around her features. “Saving planets, overthrowing dictators, being a hero. Same old, same old.” 

“Well, you do it so well.” 

“I had a good teacher,” Clara came to a halt by the counter, perching on a stool and kissing the Time Lady quickly before adjusting her apron. “Now, has your order changed? Because if so, you’re helping me cook.”


End file.
